Leadership: Is It All About Style?
Do all leaders possess the same key traits? The ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu thought so
. In his famous book on leadership, The Art of War, he proposed that all effective leaders possess the same five characteristics: intelligence, trustworthiness, humaneness, courage, and discipline.
In modern times, however, weve discovered that different leaders lead in different ways and that what works for one type of leader wont necessarily work for another.
Style theories of leadership were developed in response to the inadequacy of purely trait-based leadership theories. This approach analyzes the behaviors of successful leaders and groups them together in common themes to define broad leadership styles.
Its an approach that allows for a description of leaders (and leadership behavior) that is simultaneously more complex and more practical than the old one size fits all model. Why? Because it recognizes that leadership behavior is diverse, and that it takes different strokes for different folks to inspire, motivate and lead others toward a goal. It also shows that people who may not achieve a perfect score on Sun Tzus list of leadership traits can still be effective leaders.
Most importantly, this approach more accurately represents most peoples experience of leadership behavior, which is this: effective leaders are not all effective in the same ways.
For exampleyour project manager, Greta, may have a Type-A personality. She works so hard (and expects so much of her team) that its almost inevitable that she gets things done. But John, whos a more relaxed type, can also achieve the same results with the same team, with less effort. Why? Because he knows how to create systems that work.
Style theories of leadership were designed to avoid the shortcomings of the trait-based leadership approach, but they also present their own set of issues. Because while their behaviorally based approach to leadership may more accurately reflect what works, they do not address a core issuehow do we develop our particular style of leadership?
Another problem: while style theories of leadership pay lip-service to the concept of diversity, the names chosen in most style theories reveal a bias that ultimately suggests that there is one preferable, if not best style of leadership. In this way, theyre not so different from Sun Tzu, who was convinced that there was one right way to lead.
The earliest work on leadership style carried out by Kurt Lewin, Ronald Lipitt, and Ralph White (way back in 1939) described three leadership styles: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire. (Wouldnt you prefer a democratic leader over an authoritarian one?)
Then theres the managerial grid model developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton (in 1964) based on where a leaders behavior fall on two continuums: concern for people and concern for goal achievement. This results in five leadership styles: Impoverished Style, Produce or Perish Style, Country Club Style, Middle-of-the-road Style, and Team Style. In theory, all of these styles can be effective, but who wants to be labeled as having an impoverished style or even a middle of the road style?
Despite their shortcomings, however, style theories of leadership can be useful for those seeking to become better leaders, simply by asking us to look at effective leadership behavior in terms of what works.
Think of two different people you know who youd consider effective leaders. Do they lead in the same way? Why or why not? And what is it that makes each of them effective?
by: Lynda-Ross Vega
Achieving Organizational Success With Leadership Programs Earn Your Leadership Mba Within A Year Leadership: Does The Situation Matter? The Leadership Of Fools Learn The Best Leadership Programs Skills From The Leading Institutes Leadership Development A Way Of Life Lesson1 Leadership Its Not Always Immediately Obvious Retina Cs Receives 2012 North American Frost & Sullivan Product Leadership Award For Vulnerability M Leadership Intimacy: Work With A Leader Instead Of A Boss Develop Skills Of Leadership Development In Your Employees Successful Leadership Training Programs Thought Leadership Definition Leadership Is An Art